Have you booked your place at the next CVSA Meeting 21 March

PUTTING THE VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR AT THE HEART OF CROYDON’S TRANSFORMATIONCROYDON VOLUNTARY SECTOR ALLIANCENEXT MEETING ON WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH 20189.30AM FOR 10.00AM START AT THE CVA RESOURCE CENTRE

Some good questions have been coming in for next week’s election debate (see below for examples) – but we need more!

I’m hoping you can all make it next Wednesday – the Leader of the Council will speak first, so please make sure to be there for 10am sharp.

This is our first chance to hear how both Labour and the Conservatives are factoring the voluntary sector into their plans for Croydon. So you have until Tuesday to come up with a question, before I forward them on to our speakers – and then I’ll call on you at the meeting to do the grilling! Email your question to steve.phaure@cvalive.org.uk

What steps will labour take to address the current fragmentation in health services to promote continuity and coordination of care and access to quality of life (including preventative, mental health etc.)

As you already know these are challenging times for our community and Voluntary sector as resources are dwindling. Health and Social Care services especially are now in the sustainable and transformation mode. Trying to be something new while maintaining what you are known for could be tricky. We would like to know your thoughts on this, how it fits in your manifesto and what support to expect from Council?

The Private Sector naturally goes about its business to maximise profit and to give good financial returns to its shareholders/investors. Without this they go out of business. In view of this how can Croydon residents be assured they are getting the best community services at the best value costs from anything that is contracted out? Would a better financed Third Sector be better placed in many instances?

The Council welcomes a strong working partnership with the Voluntary Sector. Ofsted has recently criticised Croydon Childrens Services, and this is an area where the VCS can help with support, either free or at an appropriate cost. How can you, as Leader, help VCS agencies get good access to senior officers and councillors to show what can be done and to work on specific projects and accessing budgets?

Councillor Tim Pollard:

There is a clear precedent of funding statutory (crisis management) over preventative service – why and is there room for change?